The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to devices, systems and methods for the collection of bodily fluids. The collector can make use of microfluidic networks connected to collection sites on the skin of a subject to gather and shuttle blood into a removable cartridge. The collected fluid is supplied to substrate for drying, storage and transport.

Cell separation systems, and methods for separating cells from microcarriers, and harvesting the separated cells, are provided, wherein the system comprises a cell separation device, a cell settling device, and a cell screening device.

A specimen holder includes a stick and an RFID tag. The stick is elongate along a longitudinal direction, and has a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end with respect to the longitudinal direction. The stick includes an outer surface and a distal portion of the outer surface that is closer to the distal end than the proximal end. The stick further includes an internal cavity that extends from a first terminal end to a second terminal end. The stick includes a midplane that is normal to the longitudinal direction, and the midplane is located equidistant between the distal end and the proximal end. The first terminal end, the second terminal end and an entirety of the internal cavity are all located between the midplane and the proximal end. The RFID tag is positioned within the internal cavity.

The invention refers to a method of detecting nucleic acid sequences in biological samples from medical, agricultural and biotechnological sources, and a corresponding device, that can be used in health care, in particular in laboratorial diagnosis, to detect genetic sequences, with the objective of identifying viruses and diseases arising from genetic malformations, bringing novelties of using saliva samples, making extraction of RNA from the genetic material from the sample, through a small device with low complexity and innovative design, with the advantages of portable, rapid results, with on-line connectivity to a test results center, dispensing frequent visits to the doctor, hastening the start of treatment, allowing access for groups of people and eliminating the need for a highly qualified operator.

Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present techniques provide a modular sample processing device which allows a user to perform any number of biological processes within a single device, in the order the user requires. The device is customisable—a user may select two or more modules and connect them in series to form the device in which the biological processing takes place. Advantageously, this may enable a user to perform multiple processes within a single device and potentially outside of a laboratory (e.g. during field work) or outside of sterile/aseptic environments. Furthermore, the device is a hand-held device, which means the device is compact and easy to transport and use for field work.

Devices and methods for determining activity of one or more coagulation factors in a blood sample are provided. The device may comprise an inlet port for deposition of a sample, a reaction compartment, a detection compartment, a control compartment, or any combination thereof. One or more compartments may be fluidically connected. One or more compartments may comprise plasma deficient of a coagulation factor, an ionic citrate source, an ionic calcium source, one or more coagulation contact phase activator reagents, a phospholipid, or a mixture, or any combination thereof.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for forming one or more compartments in a yield-stress fluid, wherein the one or more compartments can be one or more droplets. The yield-stress fluid is selected from polydimethylsiloxane, silicone oil, colloidal particles in water or oil, diblock or triblock copolymers in water or oil, microcellulose, xanthum gum, 0.1 wt % Carbopol and a combination thereof. The present invention is applicable for use in crystallisation, bioassays and chemical microreactors.

The application relates to a sample holder (110) and a system (100). The application also relates to a method for processing a biological sample (S) and use of the sample holder or of the system in an analytical method or a diagnostic method. The sample holder (110) comprises a tubular member (111) with a wall that is at least locally transparent and at least locally permeable for reagents, wherein the tubular member consists at least partially of a transparent material.

A fluid transfer device includes a syringe barrel having a chamber, a first plunger slidably movable inside the chamber, and a second plunger slidably movable inside the chamber. The distal end portion of the first plunger is engageable with the proximal end portion of the second plunger such that when the distal end portion of the first plunger and the proximal end portion of the second plunger are engaged, the second plunger is movable by the first plunger. A check valve may be incorporated into the distal end portion of the second plunger to allow a fluid to pass therethrough in a direction towards the proximal end portion of the second plunger and prevent a fluid to pass therethrough in a reverse direction. A fluid transfer assembly and a sampling method are also described.

A system includes a fluidic device, a flow control valve, a first reagent fluid reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, a first fluid buffer reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, and a common fluid buffer source fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve. The flow control valve permits flow comprising: (i) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, (ii) flow from the common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device, (iii) flow from the fluidic device to the first fluid buffer reservoir, (iv) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (v) flow from the first fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device.